In Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has introduced a Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FIT) from 1 July 2012.

Wind power is a noted renewable energy along with solar power. When we say windmills, Japanese people image these huge objects. However, this time we interviewed a wind power expert about possibilities of using small wind powers as Smart House HEMS.

*more details about Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FIT)
http://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/english/index.htm

[[Biography]]

Izumi USHIYAMA

He was born in Nagano in 1942. He graduated from Graduate School of Science and Technology at Sophia University, Ph.D., Doctor of Engineering.
His specialty is energy conversion engineering. He has been engaged in research on renewable energy, mainly wind power generation. He has been appointed as NEDO Offshore Wind Power Generation Chairman, NEF Wind Power Chairman, Green Power Authentication Mechanism Chairman.
He has been the president of Ashikaga Institute of Technology since 2008.
He’s published more than 20 books about Energy or Wind Power.

 （Prof. Ushiyama and Prof. Nishizawa at A.I.T)

Address:326-8558 268-1 Omae-cho, Ashikaga-shi, Tochigi
E-mail:

Wind and Light Square at A.I.T Research Center

http://www2.ashitech.ac.jp/crc/square/index.html

– a noted wind power expart  

Q: Could you please tell us the possibilities of small wind power generation?

 I have heard HEMS Certification Support Center works with solar power, storage battery, electric vehicles. These technologies are progressing quite fairly in Japan, I think. I’m sure small windmill’s usage will increase in the future.

Till now, large windmills have been mainly researched. However because of FIT, small windmills’ power is also sold with high price（※1）. We are now making a system of Certification for Wind Turbines(※2) for FIT.

※1:For less than 1:20 kW:57.75 JPY / kWh

※2:more details about Certification for Wind Turbine

http://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/ja/activities/windmill_attestation/index.html

Q: How is wind power used?

We need both the wind and the light. Because we can get solar power at night, we have to turn to the wind at night, which does not care for light or darkness. So we will have to research further about taking advantage of wind and light in the future.

In A.I.T, we are researching a system called Triple Hybrid. The triple means wind, light and another stable energy.

For example, we generate electricity by turning wood bio matter into gas form. The concept of the system is to get power whenever it is needed. If we combine stable energy sources such as small hydro, we can generate stable electricity source only by using renewable energy. We can especially use small hydro effectively because Japan has around 30,000 rivers.

– Researches of efficient small wind turbines are progressing. Is the windmill connection with HEMS coming soon?

（Prof. Ushiyama and Prof. Nishizawa in the lab of high technology small windmill at A.I.T）

Q: What do you think about small wind power generation as Smart House HEMS?

I think we can use wind and light. But we need a windmill which can move with weak wind and can provide electricity above a certain level. Wind power generation is basically unstable because wind is not strong in the big cites.

Then we at A.I.T, are researching efficient small wind turbine which can generate power even with weak wind. We have found that the wing shape must be different between large windmills and small ones. In fact, at wind speed of 6m/s, the high performance result of 35.8% of the large windmill was obtained in (※) the results of the wind tunnel experiments.

– More details for the research (PDF)  *Only Japanese

Q: We will make the system in which Small wind turbines are connected to HEMS Certification Support Center. Please tell us what you expect for the Center in the future.

“Collaboration and Networking” is the keyword. Let’s make it possible together.

(Prof. Ushiyama at A.I.T)

Thank you very much for the interview.

           The first certification for the HEMS Certification Support Center Test
           “We were eagerly waiting for the establishment of this kind of Certification
           Support Center.

No. 1 ECHONET Lite standard certification with the equipment tested in HEMS Certification Support Center was born. It is a distribution board of GW Solar Corporation.
This time, we interviewed Mr. Kimura of GW Solar Corporation.

[[Biography]]

1983: He created Japan Information Research Center (Embedded systems development)

1997: He worked for Phoenix Technology (Embedded system Device development, Network)

2000: He built STIL (Embedded system: USB/ Communication/ Security/Connectivity, etc　development and sales)

2012 from April, He works for GW Solar (Home Network Development).

He has been engaged in embedded system development for 30 years. His specialty is creating systems about “Connection”, “Communication” and “Security”.

– The distribution board tested at HEMS Certification Support Center obtained the certification.

Q: What kind of company is GW Solar?

Our company is mainly in the business of making Solar Panels. We also make lights which can use the power stock from the daytime, by a small solar panel, to emit at night, and  management and control systems to use the power from solar panels at home.

Q: For HEMS Certification Support Center, this was the first time to get the certification. Please tell us the product which got certified.

We got the certification for the distribution board. Distribution boards distribute generated power to each room. With this, you can see how much power you generate and how much power you buy. This time, the device gets the certification since it meets the ECHONET Lite Standard.

Q: why did you decide to use the Certification Support Center?

 They have enough equipment. We needed this test because until then we had no experience of ECHONET Lite in action and hadn’t tested the signals or connections yet.

– Using the Certification Support Center, the schedule was moved 10 month ahead.

Q: what test did you do?

Actually we only used 3 days for the test. Every time when problems arose, the issues were solved as soon as possible, by keeping a close touch with the engineers in China.

If there were no Certification Support Center, we would have had to make the test equipment such as emulator ourselves. In fact we’ve already made the test equipment for the previous products at our company in the past. However, we couldn’t say our emulator which was developed in-house, was right equipment. The Center’s equipment offers a solution to all this and we can test whether our equipment and products are functioning as they should. That’s why I think such centers are needed.

On top of this, our schedule was able to be moved 10 months ahead because of the center.

– The test result at the Certification Support Center makes it easier to explain about the product to other department in the company.

Q: Are there any other positive points about using the Center that you would like to point out?

 We got various effects. For example, we can get objective evidence by using the center. It is extremely important for the customer that the product works as advertised. And also it makes it easier to explain about the product to other department in the company.

I feel the Center has been a very positive experience for us and I want to continue to use its services in the future.

Thank you very much for your corporation. 

GW Solar Corporation.

【Press Release】Obtained ECHONET Lite Standard Certification

http://www.gwsolar.co.jp/201304.pdf

HEMS (ECHONETLite) Interoperability Test Center   Center guide (revised May 2013)

Center guide brochure (4P) (267.27 kB)

 “We are required to create a system where companies can cooperate.”

【Biography】

“The goal is international diffusion of smart house from Japan.
Activation of the domestic market is an important step.”

【Biography】

In August 2011, he has been appointed as Chief of Information Economy Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, at the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry. He has engaged in the work towards standardizing and accommodating business to spread and expand energy management system.

Q What is the point of building the HEMS Certification Center?

Activating the domestic market is necessary to spread the Japanese smart house project internationally.

Firstly in Japan, it is important to make a market accessible to the companies with no prior participation on it. The Certification Center is necessary for this. A wide variety of people or business can join and test interconnectivity at the center.

Q You said the point is that various companies can join. What kind of people would you like to see use the Certification Center?

Till now, mainly major consumer electronics manufacturers work for HEMS. But currently also small housing manufacturers or building firms are beginning to express an interest in it. To activate the domestic market, I want a wide variety of companies to participate in this.

Q As a supporter of the Certification Center, what are your expectations?

I expect the market to grow.

Now, a questionnaire about user’s family structure or usage is required.

With that, we can get a lot of data and data makes technology development possible. For example, data concerning the elderly can give us hints on developing security technology.

Thank you very much for the interview.

“The social mission caused after the Grate East Japan Earthquake supports
the trend of companies to work together on the market. “

【Biography】In 1999, he joined Matsushita Electric Industrial (present Panasonic Corporation). Since then, he has engaged in the development or standardization activity of home network system. In 2006, he has been appointed as Chairperson of technology of ECHONET consortium.

Q What is the point of building the HEMS Certification Center?

Up till now, each company had to obtain a conformance certificate. With the Certification Center, that process will be possible a third party test and certificate and will also allow many kinds of people to participate. It will bring a much greater reliability to the market.

Q Is it not difficult to make a previously closed certification system an opened one?

Indeed, it is difficult because there are always differences between companies. In the past, we tried to operate on the market together, but that failed after the marketing competition started. Now we have a big chance to change things, since with the smart house project, parties will be able to verify facts not just on paper, but with actual tests, provided by the equipment and testing environment of the Certification Center.

Q Why, this time, is it possible to make companies work together on the market, since that already failed in the past?

One of the biggest reasons is that companies recognize the energy problem caused by the Grate East Japan Earthquake. If until now their goal was merely “making convenient goods for the customer”, then that has since evolved into a desire to fulfill a broader social mission. Everybody understands that that mission cannot be completed by only one company, but by companies working together.

Q What is the merit of spreading HEMS?

 One of the merits is to use energy efficiently. Lately, we try to make consumers use less energy, for example only setting air conditioner to 28 degrees. Our idea however is to use energy efficiently. That means that with HEMS, it will be possible to save energy by using it more efficiently (transfering energy from where it is not required to where it is needed).

Q What is the foal the Certification Center?

The final goal is to make an environment where equipment developed by any company with a ECHONET logomark can be interconnectable. That will eventually create a new market. To that end, we need a place to gather all the needed knowledge and information.

※HEMS is the short name for “home energy management system. This is a system to control energy by using IT technology. It makes the amount of used energy visible and makes it possible to control it.

Thank you very much for the interview.

Mr. Morio HIRAHARA　【Biography】

In 1992, he joined Toshiba Corporation, studied on the control of home appliances and engaged in development work. Since 2001, at the same company, he has engaged in the development of “Feminity”, home IT system with adapting ECHONET protocol. In 2011 he has been appointed as Chairperson of ECHONET Consortium.

Q．　What’s the point of building the HEMS Certification Center?

The main idea is to make the possibility for participators to perform an interconnection test. Up till now, manufacturers have made everything and secured interconnection of their equipment or controllers. However from now on, there are many different possibilities of making business. For example, some people only make equipment, others only controllers or just adapters.  In that case, it is very important that there is a place to certificate　interconnectability. It will broaden participants’ horizons. This is the biggest benefit.

Q．　The Certification Center is necessary to control interface standardization. But why there was no certification centers or similar kind of certification system up till now?

It actually already was necessary,  but one of the biggest reason was the market wasn’t big enough. Until now, people of the market didn’t have any interest in the home network. That is why the first plan was that each manufacturer makes their own system. Because of that, certification system was only needed inside each company but it was not needed outside.

However, the market has changed in the last few years. HEMS is gradually growing an interest and interoperability is getting important. That means, certification center becomes necessary as a request of the world. Many people got interested as participation on the market grew. This is why we need a certification center by a third party.

Q．　At the website of ECHONET Consortium there are some example cases such as remote operation with connecting security equipment to the network. How to cope with security while connecting each company’s service in the future?

Currently, each company uses their own security. Regarding as how to cope with security while interconnecting, we have recognized it as a very big technical issue and are still currently discussing.

Thank you very much for the interview.

date and time

20. June 2012 13:30～15:30

place

Kanagawa Institute of Technology （buildingB5 4F　room2402） “1030 Shimoogino, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa-ken 243-0292　Japan” http://www.kait.jp/directions/　 (Japanese)

suponsored by

Kanagawa Institute of Technology

cooporation

ECHONET consortium

program

13:30～13:35　　the meeting opening
Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Smart House Research Center the director of the center Masao ISSHIKI
13:35～13:50　　greetings from guests
ECHONET consortium chairman Norio HIRAHARA the International Standardization Working Group of the Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA) vice chairman (Keio university) Masaki UMEJIMA 13:50～14:00　　project explanation
Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Smart House Research Center secretariat
14:00～14:30　　public appeal explanation
Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Smart House Research Center the director of the center Masao ISSHIKI
13:30～15:30　 questions and answers
Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Smart House Research Center Kazuo SEKIYA Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Smart House Research Center Hiroshi SUGIMURA
15:30　　closing the meeting